Song of Swords
by Hamstadini
Summary: [Evangelion Manga x Claymore Manga fusion] Blood and death in the land. Shinji follows the demon that fights angels. Chapter 3 up.
1. Prelude: The Monster Slayer

Disclaimer: I own neither Claymore nor Evangelion. If representatives from either series contact me and request me to pull this down from wherever it's posted, I certainly will. Although I will need verification of identities in triplicate before I do so.

Author's Prescript: Don't know what a yoma is? Have no idea what a Claymore does? Not to worry! We're gonna take this slow, and there will be plenty of exposition in this chapter. Hopefully it will be a thrilling ride for one and for all!

Song of Swords by Nathan Yuen

The dust of battle mingled with the morning mist as the two figures squared off against each other. One silhouette, slender figure belying much speed and strength, stood stoically, a massive sword held easily in a one-handed grip. The other, a hulking mountain of sinew and muscle, bellowed out a challenge to its opponent.

Its opponent remained unfazed.

The hulking figure charged in a desperate attempt to kill or escape, massive form lumbering toward the other. In an instant, the slender one zipped past the monstrous being, finishing a sword slash with a flourish.

The creature fell to the ground bisected.

The battle over, the figure sheathed her blade on her back and continued on.

* * *

The corpse lay out in open mockery of the villagers, its shredded flesh and entrails in full view in the middle of the Town Square. 

At the chief's request, no one tampered with the corpse. But that did not stop a crowd from gathering around it. People shook their heads, muttering "sixth one this month," "those yoma demons definitely got him," and "poor man…"

Despair broke a woman, and she cried, "It's a sign from God!"

An older man with a weathered face hushed her. "Speak not such blasphemy, woman! Do you wish another Impact upon us?"

At that moment inside the town commons, the grizzled chieftain looked on with pride mingled with annoyance as the council members made a ruckus inside the meeting. The elected council this year consisted of people age sixteen through twenty – men and women who would become the movers and shakers for years to come.

That said, their redundant protests got on his nerves. Cries of "The sixth person killed!" "The yomas are going to eat us all alive if we don't do something!" and "we can't just sit here and wait!" pounded through the air.

A well toned young man with coal-colored hair and stormy eyes slammed his palm on the table, hushing the crowd. "Well, what are we supposed to do?" He countered, "These bastards can take on human form at will. You think we can just round up anyone that looks suspicious?"

The chief looked pointedly at the youth. Though grateful, the chief needed to maintain authority. "That's enough, Ikari," he said.

The youth looked back at him. "Chief?"

In reply, the grizzled man produced a letter, sliding it across the table for all to see. "I've received a reply to our request. We're getting help." His tone turned ominous. "A Claymore is coming."

The room chilled at that announcement. Hushed murmurs flitted about the room. "A Claymore?" "One of _them?_" "Are they trustworthy?"

Ikari was the first one to speak. "Chief, do you really think – "

"They are the only ones that can detect the demon among us," the Chief interrupted, "It'll cost us a great deal, but it's the difference between being poor, and being dead. I will have no argument over this. She will be here any day now; be sure to offer her any hospitality she requests."

With the meeting over, the council disbanded quietly talking about this new turn of events. Ikari lingered behind the others, looking around warily as he stepped out.

"Hey, Daichi!"

Ikari started at the sound of his given name, then looked around. He relaxed at the sight of a lanky boy, shorter than he was but with the same hair and eye color, walking towards him. "Oy, Shinji!" he called out, "Don't scare me like that again, okay?"

Shinji chuckled. "I couldn't help it. I haven't seen you so pale since you took your first forest hunt last month."

Daichi's smile flattened. "Don't joke about scaring people, Shinji. These are dangerous times we're living in, and pulling a prank on the wrong person could get you hurt."

Shinji cocked his head to the side curiously. "It'll be all right, once this…Claymore comes though, right?"

Daichi whirled on Shinji. "Where did you hear about that?"

"Everyone's talking about it. It's supposed to be some kind of weapon, right? Can it take down a yoma?"

Daichi stopped and turned to face Shinji, crunching loose grave under his feet. "Shinji, recount to me the Story of How Things Came To Be."

Shinji set his shoulders and faced the elder Ikari, speaking in the methodical pace that one always does when reciting information from rote memory. The Story of How Things Came To Be was an essential part of the religion and education to the people in the land, even in a small town such as the one that the Ikaris lived in. Anyone could recite it from age five on up, and at age fifteen Shinji could do it easily.

"In the beginning, God created man. And with First Impact, He gave man many things – earth to stand on, seeds to grow, animals to hunt and eat. And God loved man, and it was good. There was one tenant that God requested of his greatest creation, and that was to never assume that man was wiser than God.

"But in this paradise, man became restless and bored. He decided to control the world by his will and guile, to improve upon God's work. Man built great machines to control the weather, to breed animals beyond their means, and to grow crops out of season. Man also built great cities, spires, and castles to revel in his own glory, and not God's.

"God saw the machinations of man, and was not pleased. To punish man for his sins, He sent down Second Impact, which destroyed the arrogant workings of man and created the yoma, the man-eating monsters, to keep man in check from becoming too arrogant yet again.

"This is why we do not try to understand the will of God, we simply accept it. It is why we do not take God's name in vain, and why the yoma exist in our world today."

Daichi nodded, satisfied with the incantation. "You have learned the Story well, Shinji. Now I will tell you of a new story, the ones regarding the Claymores."

Shinji leaned in close, eyes shining with excitement and curiosity. Daichi glanced around, licking his lips quickly. Then he leaned in close, to impart the vital story.

"Claymores are mankind's newest sin. Some fool somewhere got it into his head that it was possible to fight the creatures, and so he founded the Claymore organization, which is dedicated to kill the yoma for gold. They're the only ones that have a chance of winning against the monsters."

Shinji's eyes widened at the thought of a man fighting a hulking monster. "Wow… it must be tough. Maybe they receive special training?"

Daichi turned away, and Shinji fell into step behind him. "Not just that… but the Claymores take yoma flesh and blood into their bodies. That is the only way to fight the yoma."

Shinji stopped in his tracks, shocked. "You can't be serious!"

The elder Ikari turned around to nod. "Not just that, but after early tests it was shown that young girls had the best recovery rate. All the boys died a horrible death."

Daichi looked up into the sky, hair rustling in the wind. "Because Claymores are monsters themselves, they can spot the yoma with their eyes, and slay them with the huge swords they are named after." After a sigh, he said "Funny, isn't it…the only way we can resist these beasts is becoming beasts ourselves."

Shinji could only gape at his cousin.

But after a moment anxious shouts and stampeding brought Shinji back to reality. He looked behind him to find a crowd rushing to the town gates. Their cries brought sent an anxious trill down his spine.

"She's here!" "The Claymore's here!" "It's the yoma slayer!"

Heedless of Daichi's cries, Shinji ran after the crowd to get his first look at the Claymore. He wormed his way through the crowd to the front, but all he could see was the dust, kicked up by the wind upon the path and clouding the area in front of him.

Then…

He saw her.

Though not much older than him, the Claymore was certainly dressed for battle. Steel pauldrons rested on her shoulders and fastened a grey cape to her back. Her abdomen and chest were covered by a well-shaped breastplate that ended in a segmented armored skirt. Pantaloons and knee-high metal boots covered her legs. Besides that, a huge sword was affixed to her back – the very symbol of a Claymore warrior.

While Shinji could not help but stand in awe, unsettled murmurs came from the crowd.

"So that's the half-breed, huh?"

"Not what I expected…"

"Still, she's terrifying."

The Claymore stood there, as if sizing up the crowd, and almost collectively they shuffled their feet nervously,

"What was the chief thinking, calling her?"

"How do we know that she won't turn on us once she gets the gold?"

"Half a monster could be as dangerous as a full-blooded one…"

A sandy-haired man seemed to speak for most of them as he said, "the chief's really got no choice. We're all going to die out if we don't do something… we just use the monsters to kill each other."

And then the Claymore stepped forward. The group, thoroughly cowed by the movement, parted to let her through the gates, silent witnesses to her passing. After she seemed to be out of earshot, one man berated the last one to speak up, though all the comments said earlier mirrored his sentiment. "You idiot! Why did you have to go and say that? What if she gets insulted and turns on us!"

But Shinji was deaf to all the bickering that now took place amongst the group. All he was aware of was the warrior that passed his way.

* * *

The Chief tried not to show his fear or his surprise when the Claymore walked through his door. From the fearsome deeds that he heard, he expected a monster, some hideous half-formed hybrid, a patchwork of human and yoma skin and sinew. But the first thing he saw in front of him was a beautiful young slip of a girl. 

But when he saw her eyes…

Those emotionless, piercing eyes…

He knew that he was in the presence of a monster.

The Claymore was silently looking down at him, which made him even more nervous. Then he realized since he was the village elder, he should speak first.

"We've been waiting for you anxiously," he said lamely, but he decided not to dwell on critiquing his dialog. He wanted to get this business over with and be rid of the girl as soon as humanly possible. "Let's get down to it. Akemi, fetch the bag."

As soon as the words left his mouth his wife plopped a large sack on the table, making the gold sticks jingle inside. It was fully half the town fund, maybe more. But the price would be worth it to get rid of the beast plaguing the town. The chief pushed the bag toward the warrior. "Here, you can see for yourself that the payment is there."

"I don't want it."

The toneless voice of the girl chilled the chief's blood a couple degrees. "Eh?"

"Someone will be sent to collect the money later on. You will give it to her then."

A pause, then the Claymore's eyes flashed, nearly causing the Chief's heart to seize in his chest. "If I die here, there would be no reason to give the money now."

A bead of ice cold sweat involuntarily made its way down the Chief's temple. "Ah… I see. So, what will happen now? Will it be easy to find the monster?"

The girl dipped her chin under slightly, like a bull about to charge. "It varies. If the yoma is experienced it will hide it's aura enough so that I will not be able to detect it. But no matter what, I will sniff it out. Then one of us will lie dead in the streets."

The Chief managed to maintain her composure long enough for the Claymore to shut the door behind her, but after that he slouched at his desk in a quivering, boneless heap.

* * *

The girl stepped outside the Chief's house and stood in the center of town. The people who lingered there gaped at her for a moment, then hurried along their way. Mothers snatched their children up and carried them inside; neighbors murmured hasty farewells and parted ways. 

To the girl, this did not matter.

All that mattered was finding the yoma.

She closed her eyes and extended her senses, trying to find the monster through its energies. Her forehead creased when she strained her mental facilities, but still no sign.

_Either he is very experienced at hiding… or he is too weak to be detected._

So she went to more traditional methods, trying to track him literally by his scent. She breathed in deeply –

snatched up her sword at the **crunch** of a foot on gravel and almost sliced off the head of a boy.

The black-haired boy stumbled back, startled at the sudden sight of the huge sword's edge a hairsbreadth away from his eyes. "What was that for?" he gasped, "I was just following you!"

The girl gave him a brief glare as she sheathed the blade, and began walking away.

The boy scrambled after her. "Hey! You're a Claymore, aren't you?"

"No," came the monotone reply.

"What?"

"The organization and the warriors that serve it have no name. Your people thrust the name of 'Claymore' upon us."

The boy took a moment to digest the information. "Oh… I see." A half smile crossed his features. "But still, I can't believe it. When I heard what a Claymore was, I was expecting someone who looked like a half-demon. But you… you look like an ordinary girl."

The swordswoman did not gape, but she did stop and glance at the boy, as if scanning to see if he was fully sane. "You're not afraid of me?"

"No! Not at all! In fact," he admitted with a blush, "you're prettier than the girls around here."

The girl began walking again, leaving the boy to catch up.

* * *

At the town gates the boy panted out, "Where are you going? That leads outside the town!" 

The girl turned to look at him. "This is the edge of the town?"

The boy gave a weary nod. "That leads to the forest where people hunt game."

The girl unlatched her sword and thrust it into the ground upright, then sat down to lean her back against it like one would a tree.

The boy stepped forward, curious. "What are you doing?"

The girl replied with her eyes closed, "this is how I rest. I have been walking for three days now."

The little fact boggled the boy's mind. _Three days… at that pace?_ But once he overcame that knowledge, he whipped his head around to search the area.

At the **ssss-thunk** of something being staked to the ground, the swordswoman opened her eyes and found herself staring into the blue-grey eyes of her escort. He had picked up a wide wooden plank and thrust it upright into the dirt road, imitating her seating posture.

She asked, "What do you want? Why are you so interested in me?"

The boy looked at her as if she asked whether the sky was blue. "Well, you _are_ a Claymore."

"Your people picked that name for us," she reminded him.

"Oh, right. But you came to kill the yoma, which means you'll be able to grant my wish…" he trailed off.

"And that is?" she asked, though she could already hazard a guess.

"You'll kill the monster that ate the only family I've ever known."

A silence passed as the boy figured out what to say next.

"When I was but four summers old, my parents had to leave the town for an important journey. My earliest memory of them is of their backs as they left on the very road that we're sitting on. I don't even remember their faces."

The lost expression on his face evaporated as he continued. "But my aunt and uncle were kind enough to take me in, and I was able to grow up in a loving household with my cousin. A few weeks ago, my aunt and uncle were the first ones to be killed by the monster, before my eyes. I don't know why I was spared… my cousin was away at the time. Now, we're staying at a neighbor's house. But I don't know what my future is going to be like…"

He cast a furious glance in her direction – fury not directed at her, but at the monster that plagued his memory. "At least I know that the yoma won't kill anyone else, because you'll kill it for me."

"I am not doing this for your personal revenge," the girl replied coolly, "but because of a request by the village chieftain. If your chief did not have the money, I would not have come."

The boy put his hands behind his head, relaxing. "I know. But still for money or for revenge, dead is dead. And a yoma dead is a good thing."

**Gong…gong…**

The boy looked up, eyes widening in astonishment as he witnessed the setting sun. He got up and dusted his pants off. "Oh man! I didn't realize it was so late. I need to cook dinner for everyone."

He turned to go, but paused and turned around again in an afterthought. "My name's Shinji, by the way. What's yours?"

The girl looked him in the eye and said, "You don't need to know my name. You'll forget me soon enough."

Shinji was puzzled by the statement, but shrugged his shoulders and ran home.

* * *

It was dark when Shinji stumbled back to the house where he now lived. Keeping up with the Claymore was one thing, but sprinting halfway across town drained him more. Still, he managed to burst into the house and gasp out, "I'm so sorry! I'll start making dinner right away! It'll be done in just a…" 

And then he saw the bodies. Two bodies, a man and woman; they were once both hale and hearty folk, now gutted and left to rot.

Behind him, a guttural voice said, "a wonderful sight, don't you think? Like a banquet at a midsummer's feast they were."

Shinji turned and saw Daichi. But it was not Daichi. It had Daichi's clothes on, and had some resemblance to Shinji's cousin, but this…thing had a hulking mass, mottled grey skin, gaping golden eyes and a grinning mouthful of spearlike teeth. It also had a blue drop shaped mark in the middle of its forehead.

And yet Shinji could not help but call, "Daichi?"

The thing advanced on him, drool dribbling from its mouth with every step. "Heh. Your cousin's gone, boy. Gone for a month, and you didn't even notice. I took him over during that little 'adventure' in the forest, used his flesh as a disguise and his mind to play his part. That's why no one could ever find me."

The yoma drew itself up to its full height, bursting out of Daichi's tunic. "I was thinking that I could stay and have a few more meals, but now you've summoned that witch, and I'll have to move on. She can look all she wants after I'm gone."

It looked hungrily at Shinji's frozen form. "But, I might as well have a small snack before leaving…"

Unexpectedly, tears fell from the yoma's eyes and fell to the floor. The yoma caught them in his palm and looked down to examine the drops. "Well, how touching… what's left of your cousin is shedding tears for you."

Desperation and rage mixed together in Shinji's head, and on impulse he charged at the beast with a yell. The yoma batted him down with a single swipe of his claw, and Shinji ended up on the floor coughing up blood.

The yoma stood back, flexing its fingers, examining them as Shinji dragged himself to his feet. "Honestly, Shinji, did you think you had a chance? You are simply meat. We are the predator, and you are the prey. It goes against natural law – God's law – for prey to fight predator. Although it's good to see them struggle now and again."

The yoma let out a blissful sigh. The monster was so close that Shinji could smell its fetid breath. "And now," it said, "It's time to dine."

And then the roof shattered.

The Claymore slammed between boy and yoma, her sword forming a lethal barrier between the two. Both boy and monster fell back as the sword crushed stone and sent shards flying everywhere.

The yoma stopped its backward momentum by crouching low and gripping the floor with the talons on its hands and feet. "You!" it gurgled, "how did you find me!"

The Claymore rose, ignoring the dust she threw into the air. "The boy carried the scent of yoma, so pungent that I swung at him before I saw him. I knew after that he was not the one I sought, but someone close to him was. All I needed to do was follow him."

She gripped her sword in one hand and pointed it at the monster across from her. "I have answered your question. Now you must answer mine. You are a fledgling – one of Sachiel's clan," she declared, pointing at the drop-shaped mark, "and you know of his whereabouts. Where is he now?"

The yoma laughed, a low and oily sound, while making gouges in the floor with its claws. "I see no need to answer a frail, pale girl… who's about to DIE!"

It charged headlong at the girl, planning to grab her with its long arms and dash her head on the ground – but the girl was no longer there.

A whisper came behind him. "Too slow."

The monster turned around as the large sword bit deep into his shoulder, and only that turn prevented it from losing its left arm altogether. Now it was the Claymore's chance to barrel in at him. Flummoxed at the turn of events, the yoma lashed out blindly with its right hand, only to have the Claymore drop in behind its back again. Sensing a killing blow, the yoma leapt blindly, turning in mid air to face its attacker –

But already the Claymore ran on the wall behind him and sliced his arm off with a downward stroke.

The yoma gave a startled cry and fell away, landing on its haunches. "It's not possible! A half-breed can't move faster than a yoma!" Instantly it was up again and dashing across the room towards Shinji. The boy had no time to move – the monster snagged him and put a chokehold around his neck. "If you want to get through to me," the yoma cried, "you'll have to stab through him first!"

In a flash the Claymore was upon the pair and with surgical precision she cut off the monster's remaining arm. Shinji fell away. When the arm landed with a meaty thud next to him, he scrambled into a corner and watched the exchange between the girl and what was once his cousin from his huddled position.

Now it was the Claymore that advanced on the yoma. She swung the sword in a downward chop through the air, spattering the ground with thick yoma blood from the sword. "By putting yoma blood into this 'frail' body, we have earned speed you can't match. By adding monster flesh, we've gained strength to wield our claymore swords with one hand."

She gave a lethal glance to the disarmed yoma. "That is two of your questions I have answered. Now you will answer one of mine. Where is Sachiel?"

The yoma sobbed with fright, helpless with only two stumps for arms. "I don't know! He just left me in the forest and I had to fend for myself! I beg you – please let me go!"

The Claymore's gaze was merciless. "You have no information, And I have no use for a yoma with no knowledge."

And then she split him from crotch to crown.

The yoma exploded behind her in a cloud of crimson, blanketing the area with a bloody mist. She looked over in the corner, and with her discerning eye saw that the boy was unharmed. She swung her sword down again to cleanse it of blood, and holstered it on her back.

"This job is finished," she said as she opened the door, "I suggest you find a new home to stay."

Then she pulled the door shut behind her, leaving a shuddering, blank-eyed Shinji in the corner.

* * *

Shinji was still that way the next day in the Chief's house, where they had carried the shocked boy so that he wouldn't come to harm. The Chief recounted the whole sordid tale to his closest friend, although discretion wasn't necessary; the entire story had circulated by noontime. 

"He's been like this ever since," the Chief concluded.

His friend shook his head. "I certainly don't blame him. I'd have no will to live after what he's been through."

Gently, the Chief put a hand on the boy's shoulder, hoping to reassure him. No reaction. So, the Chief tried with words. "Forget it, Shinji. Forget yesterday and the rest of it."

The words echoed deep into Shinji's mind. They were so similar to the words said yesterday…

"_You'll forget __**me**__ soon enough…"_

The Chief's friend turned back to the conversation. "So, what happened to the girl?"

"Oh, she got orders for another job and left for the next village. Personally, I'm glad she's gone. Those Claymores are too much like yoma. And those red eyes…" The Chief repressed a shudder. "I've never seen the like."

So deep was he in memory that it took a few seconds to realize that Shinji was heading out the door.

* * *

He got no sleep yesterday. His legs were by turns fatigued from running and aching from cramps. And yet, he still ran like a madman through the streets, dodging around people, the girl's image burned in her mind. 

_Blue hair framed her face as she looked on him. "You're not afraid of me?"_

Almost to the village gates now. Though his lungs burned, he needed to see her, if only this one last time.

_Crimson eyes looked at him, nearly glowing with conviction. "You don't need to know my name… You'll forget it soon enough."_

And then he saw her, a figure in the distance outside the gates. Dashing through them, he bellowed, "HEY! WAIT!"

For a second, he was afraid that somehow the wind carried his voice away. But his heart leapt with joy when she stopped and turned around.

Now that he got her attention, he couldn't falter. He spoke from the bottom of his heart, baring his soul honestly. "I'm sorry. You were right. I was afraid," he yelled across the distance, " It was just like when my aunt and uncle were killed. All that talk about vengeance was just me trying to sound tough, because I was ashamed that I was afraid."

He placed his hand over his heart, gripped the tunic that covered it. "I'll never forget what you did for me, what you did for my family. I'll never forget you, I swear!"

She gazed across the distance, eye to eye, levelly looking him over. And then she turned to leave.

He yelled after her, "My name's Shinji. Please tell me your name!"

Over her shoulder she spared him one last glance of her crimson eye, her cerulean hair blowing in the dusty wind. He thought she didn't hear him, or worse, had thought the request inconsequential. But amidst the clanking of her boots, the wind carried her response back to him:

"My name is Rei."

(Not the end…)

Author's Notes: Whew! I've been writing this on and off – mostly off – for about four months now. But this past weekend I felt the incredible urge to finish this. It probably has to do with the fact that the Claymore anime is now playing in Japan, and has been since April 4th, and the fact that I wanted to be the first one to publish a Claymore x Eva fusion. Which I can say that I've done now.

The fusion shall be interesting, to say the least. I have plans to include almost everyone in here. There will be plenty of opportunities for girls, that's for sure. I may even have to borrow ACCs from other EVA fanfictions to fill the gap. That means Asuka, Misato, Maya, Hikari, and even Mana will be in here. Even Gendo. Not as a Claymore, though. And poor Fuyutsuki. He'll be left in the dust, methinks.

Anywho. The plot will loosely follow Evangelion, and the setting will be the Claymore world, although if you do read the Claymore series there will be major spoilers for later chapters. Think of this as Evangelion with swords, and you'll be fine. By the way, all Claymores are supposed to have blonde hair and silver eyes due to the experiments they've been subjected to, but I thought it would be better for everyone in EVA to keep their hair and eye color, for the sake of easier description.

**Several people have brought up points in their reviews that I feel the need to address. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to contact these individuals directly due to the failure of the e-mail alert system, so I will write write my responses here.**

**The first observation that I will comment on is the statement that "Shinji is too much like Raki (_Claymore's_ male lead)" I suspected that this would be mentioned sooner or later, and it has some validity. However, consider this - I am drawing elements from the Evangelion Manga, and that includes a more assertive and outgoing Shinji. Couple that with the fact that in the Claymore universe he grew up with a loving family and doesn't know the fate of his parents, and you have a Shinji that's more curious than depressed.**

**It's either that or else you can continue to think that I'm a lazy bastard who's mutilating the characters.**

**The second observation is that "this story follows too closely to the Claymore storyline." This is true. In fact the first four chapters of this story are going to be almost verbatim from Claymore volume 1, there will be no major deviations from the plot till volume 3, and by volume 7 there will be a total deviation (barring elements that may appear in volume 8, which I may see fit to include.) I really did try to find some way to cirumvent the plot surrounding volumes 6 and 7... but the suspense is just too good for those volumes. So in essence, if you read Claymore you'll have a lot of spoilers for this story, and if you read this first you'll find a lot of spoilers for the original. Sorry. If anyone figures out a better way to merge the two plots together and come up with something innovative, I welcome it.**

**To SpikeyKun, if you're reading this: I'd welcome your prereading skills. You can find me at either of the 402 sites (Tales of Appartment 402, or Area 402), or you can get ahold of me at the Darkscribes site by clicking on the website link in my profile.**

**To Dany le Fou: Damn you. You just gave away half the plot!**

Not preread… don't know anyone who's read the Claymore series yet… although DarckRedd says that he's read parts.


	2. A Sextet in Claws

**Disclaimer: Don't own Claymore or NGE. Although, if they do decide to mash the two together, I hope they consider me as a runner's up for writer…**

**Warning: No Shinji in this chapter. Sorry.**

Rei stood under the waterfall unclothed, letting the cascading water pound her pale body. Three days of walking and questioning villages in the surrounding area had revealed no leads for her targets, but that did not discourage her. Rei knew that she would find them eventually.

Her top priority at the moment was the condition of her skin. She rubbed at her arm, loosening some of the dust that she accumulated on her journey. She frowned when she stepped away from the falling water and found that the cloying scent still clung to her.

"Trying to wash off the scent of blood, Rei?" A woman's voice teased behind her.

Rei turned to face a woman in a long black trenchcoat standing on a rock, her hands in the pockets. Blond hair framed her face, sharpening the emerald hue of her eyes. She did not look away when Rei turned toward her, instead letting a sardonic grin play about her mouth. "It's no use, you know," she continued, "Your own body produces that smell. No matter how much washing you do, it will stay with you for the rest of your… existence."

Rei didn't even bat an eye at the newcomer. "Ritsuko. Why are you here?"

Ritsuko's head canted left and her lips creased downward, a mockery of disappointment. "Aww. Can't I come to see the doll, without a reason to play?"

"Every time you arrive, you have news or an assignment. I cannot see why this time would be different."

"Might be different this time," Ristuko said with sarcastic petulance.

"The orders, Ritsuko," Rei said as she stepped out of the water.

"A village two days west of here is having problems with the yoma. In just a month, twenty seven have been killed."

Rei tugged the tunic down to her stomach. "Twenty seven…"

Ritsuko nodded. "Either there's more than one of them, or it requires more food than your average yoma. So you'll be joining a hunting party in five days, unless your dollness is too busy chasing Angels," she sniped.

Rei brushed off the implied insult. She had dealt with Ritsuko for many years now. The handler's unstable mood swings were simply part of her personality. "How many do you estimate will die in the meantime?"

"Oh… two or three, maybe," came the offhand response

In an instant Rei buckled her shoulder plates and gauntlets and holstered the broadsword on her back, striding to get out of the forest.

Her handler's voice followed her, slick as oil. "Leaving already, Rei?"

The warrior paused, but did not turn. "It is wasteful to spend time here. I would rather finish the job quickly and continue my investigation."

She could practically hear Ritsuko's smile in the response. "Well, go. You have your mission. Where you decide to spend or lose your life… is up to you."

* * *

At a brisk nonstop pace it took Rei a day to arrive at the town at high noon. She found herself at the village gates with only the wind for sound and the dust to greet her. She stepped forward, making her way to the town square and noting that all of the windows were boarded up and barred. 

_Did they evacuate? …No, the yoma would not allow it. The death toll mounted so quickly that the citizens are staying indoors, not going outside for fear of encountering the yoma._

An image formed in Rei's head, a vision of a family of four huddled together in the middle of the room, trying not to let anyone out of their sight for fear of being killed by one of the monsters in disguise, the father trying to look courageous but completely helpless in the situation.

_All the more reason to finish this quickly._

As Rei approached the town's center, she could make out a silhouette beyond the cloud of dust. The wind blew, pushing away the dust cloud to reveal an ordinary man.

A _smirking_ ordinary man.

Rei drew her sword. "You are a yoma," she accused, "and yet you are not afraid to expose yourself."

The man nodded in acknowledgement. "And you are a Claymore warrior," he observed, "Although I didn't expect you to come alone, with the death count being what it was."

Crimson eyes glared at the interloper. "Have you become so bold that you are willing to stand out in the open like this?"

The monster in human flesh shrugged. "Oh, not really… it's just that, things being how they are, there seems to be no reason to cower in the shadows anymore."

At that, three more yoma emerged – two from the side, and one from behind Rei. All of them transformed.

The "man" was still talking. "You Claymores are but an annoyance… you go against nature's law. You are the prey, and we are the predator. And yet, you try to defy your fate."

"You are wrong," Rei replied, "We do not defy nature's law. For we are struggling for survival; it is only natural to fear extinction."

As she was saying this, Rei assessed each of the four in turn. _Even fully transformed, I cannot feel much of their presence. Perhaps they are saving their strength?_

She set her sword into an on-guard stance. _Regardless, they have an advantage in numbers… this may be difficult._

The man stood there, still smirking. "I think it's pretty brave of you, Claymore, to face all _five_ of us by yourself."

Rei frowned. _Five…?_

She barely had time to lunge out of the way as a batlike creature slammed the ground where she once was. She had a split second to glance at the monster's back. _Wings? This one can fly?_

And then they charged her from all directions. Rei found herself entirely on the defensive, blocking claw swipes with both gauntlet and sword, looking for a way to gain her footing. As one swung at her back she vaulted high into the air, looking for a clear place to land-

but got body slammed by the winged yoma before she could do so.

Oddly enough, crashing into the pavement headfirst brought a moment of clarity to her. _They are hounding me, trying to keep me off balance, preventing me from catching my rhythm. And the reason why is…_

She wiped that thought from her mind and jumped up, backpedaling as the gibbering monsters tumbled over each other to get at her. The blow from the winged yoma sent her a distance away, giving her an instant to recover herself.

One of the yoma zipped ahead and slid in behind her, trying to swipe at her back. Rei whipped around and jammed the edge of the sword between his two middle fingers. The claws stretched out, aiming for her eyes, but she blocked deftly with her gauntlet and with a mighty heave sliced the arm in half, all the way up to the shoulder.

The yoma fell away, howling in pain; another took its place with a frontal assault, slashing wildly and clawing at her while she parried deftly with her sword. Rei sensed the winged yoma charging at her back and sidestepped deftly out of the way. The third yoma appeared behind her looking to take her head clean off.

Rei ducked… but kept her sword upright. The yoma found that he cut his own arm off. From her crouched position, Rei swung the sword up and around, cleaving the hapless monster from waist to shoulder.

There was a wet thud as the two halves dropped to the ground, and the yoma stopped their charge in shock.

Rei had found her rhythm.

She zipped between the wounded yoma and his comrade, trying to catch them from behind. The unwounded yoma still had the presence of mind to slash at her arm, and the impact loosened the sword from her grip.

"She dropped her sword!" And the two charged in, triumphant… and unguarded.

Rei caught her sword in midair with her other hand and separated their torsos from their waists.

As the bodies dropped and the winged yoma and the "man" looked on in horror, Rei came to a realization. She looked up, spattered with fresh gore. "So, that was why. You had to hunt in a pack, you had to attack a town together, you had to hound me and keep me off balance… because the five of you were 'runts of the litter.' And weak yoma need others to lick their wounds."

"The sword… was a lure?" the untransformed yoma gasped in disbelief.

The winged yoma, prioritizing survival over honor, took to the air leaving its comrade behind astonished. "Wait! Come back!" the man cried.

Rei ended his desperation by running him through.

Not sparing the fallen yoma another glance, she looked up towards the retreating flier, which was already a good distance away. She could not jump to the height the monster was at, and none of the buildings were tall enough to reach him even if she did climb to the rooftop.

_There is only one option… it pertains some risk, but…_

She thought of the families, cowering in terror. If she did not slay the flier here, it would only terrorize some other town somewhere. Rei set her stance, sword pointed at the ground behind her, looking like an Olympian preparing to throw a discus.

_I will not let it get away._

It was as if a switch flickered on in her mind. New energy coursed through her abdomen and circulated through her body. Her eyes turned from crimson to a golden color, the pupils turning into snakelike slits.

She was at ten percent power.

Her face elongated, became more lizardlike; the skin along her jawline tightened, turning the corners of her mouth upward in an involuntary, feral grin. Veins crept up, stood out on her face and pulsed with energy.

Thirty percent power.

Rei looked up, and regarded the speck in the distance. She had only one chance at this. _I will use a little more of my power… just to ensure it covers the distance._

Her whole body started to throb, veins and arteries showing shape even through the Claymore armor she had on. The dust around her seemed to inch away from her presence, making room for the event to come.

Fifty percent power. It was time.

In less time than it took for a heart to beat, she threw the sword like a javelin. To its target it flew straight and true, entering the yoma's back and piercing through the chest, buried up to the hilt. The yoma fell, its wings still flapping vainly despite the mortal wound, and landed with a sickening thud.

There was no celebration, no cheer. Only the sound of silence; only the movement of the dust stirring and the Claymore walking to yank her weapon out of the flightless carcass. After spattering the blood from her weapon to the ground, she sheathed the sword and made sure that her voice was loud enough for the people behind the shutters to hear:

"My work is finished. Someone will visit to collect the money. You will give it to her then."

As Rei left the village, she couldn't help but detect a sense of relief in the ensuing silence.

She met Ritsuko, coming up the dusty road. Her handler looked up, eyes wide as if amazed to see Rei walking towards her. "Oh, you survived. Lucky you."

Rei didn't comment on the remark. She simply said, "The job is done. Collect the money for five yoma."

Ritsuko crossed her arms, a slight smile playing about her lips. "Five yoma, huh? You're very lucky then, considering your...status."

When Rei kept walking, Ritsuko continued. "You put a valiant effort in, Rei, to fight a pack of yoma alone for some ungrateful villagers. Did you do it because her words compelled you to?"

For a heartbeat, Rei looked back at Ritsuko, a flash in her crimson eye. "As I said before I would rather complete the mission quickly… so I can continue with the investigation."

She continued walking, only dust to join her on the long and thorny road.

To Be Continued…

Author's note: For those of you that have read both Claymore and Evangelion, I am sorry for putting up such…unoriginal work so far. But I think it's best to go through this slowly; since I'm putting this in the Evangelion section, I need to show the newcomers the mechanics of the series, such as power distribution and the business handlers. Not to mention that much of the fused storyline will involve the Rabona plot.

However, that doesn't mean that there won't be some changes. In fact my sleep-deprived mind yesterday grew an idea for making up for the lack of Shinji in this chapter and deviating a bit from the storyline. So, you'll be rewarded for your patience I suppose.

After that, there will be some hybridization of both series and some completely new elements… But right now, I need to set the foundation for the story. I hope you don't mind, and have the patience to put up with this reiteration for now.

Pre-read by Spikey-kun, who caught some characterization 'misinterpretations.'


	3. An Elegy to Memory

**Disclaimer****: This is a work based on both the mangas of Claymore and Evangelion. Should the lawyers contact me with legal jargon, I'd be so dizzy that I'd take down this work. But they'd better darn well be legit. I swear I'll do my research before taking this down!**

The heat pounded the shrouded form as he plodded his way across the Rakul Wastelands. He appeared uncaring, but if one looked closely they would see the bags under his eyes, the result of a month's worth of restless sleep.

The feather-light bag on his back was little comfort to the wanderer, for it reminded him that all the provisions he had were long gone. Hours passed as he crossed the deserted land step by step, his energy fueled solely by determination and a persistent memory.

But even that couldn't last forever.

Eventually, fatigue dragged him to his knees and shortly thereafter his face hit the cracked dry ground. He craned his head forward, to look at the gaping expanse ahead of him. Shunting the last of his strength into his arm, he reached out and clawed at the ground ahead of him, trying to drag himself forward and failing dismally.

Before he passed out his last thought was, _I just wanted to see her… one last time…_

And so he was completely unaware when a shadow of a figure covered him moments later.

* * *

He had a vague sensation of being carried as the words drifted to him in the darkness. 

"_You are not afraid of me?"_

And again, as he felt like he was lying down:

"_You don't need to know my name. You will forget it soon enough."_

And that was when Shinji awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling.

He sat up quickly, taking stock of his surroundings. His tunic and pack sat on a dresser, his cloak hung on a wall beside an open window. All looked freshly washed, even the undershirt he was wearing, and blessedly free of dust.

The door creaked open, allowing in a chestnut-haired man with a mustache, who sighed with relief when he saw Shinji alert. "Oh good, you're up. I almost called the doctor when I saw you. Trying to cross the wastelands, in broad daylight, without any food? What were you thinking?"

Despite his parched throat, Shinji managed to croak out, "Um… I guess I wasn't?"

"Damn straight you weren't. Hopefully you won't try that twice." The man then stepped out, and Shinji wondered whether any of this would make any sense any time soon when the man came back with a pile of food, and three full canteens of water. He set it on the bedside table beside Shinji, and the boy's stomach growled in frustration.

"There ya go," the man said, "well, what're you waiting for? Dig in."

"But I can't even pay for the room, and you've already let me stay here for a day!" Shinji protested.

The man dismissed the argument with a wave of his hand. "Eh, don't worry about it. It was taken care of, by a Claymore."

Every muscle seized in Shinji's body. His hunger evaporated as he leaned forward attentively. "A Claymore? Is she still here? Did she say her name?"

The man shook his head. "Didn't ask, didn't tell. All she did was set you down in here, paid for the room and food, and took off. And since we haven't been having any yoma troubles, she's probably off on her next assignment or something. Heh – a Claymore carrying a human boy into town… that'd make quite a romance story, wouldn't it?"

Before the man knew it, Shinji threw the sheets off, put his tunic and cloak on, and snagged his backpack saying, "I gotta go! Thanks for everything!"

"Wait a second, fella," the man protested, "aren't'cha gonna eat?"

Shinji screeched to a halt in front of the door, and looked over to the juicy ham shanks and ripe apples. His stomach growled again, and Shinji gulped. _Well, if it's free…_

Without a second thought, Shinji leapt at the food, heedless of the hotel owner's warnings about choking.

* * *

Only when Shinji was out of the room did he dare check his backpack. The manager was nice enough, and promised Shinji the room for as long as he stayed in town, but the boy still wanted to be alone for this. 

When he took the pack off the dresser, he heard the jingle and felt the weight difference from before. Now he opened the pack, to verify with his eyes what his other senses had told him.

In the sack there were two items aside from a canteen of water that he had in his possession, both books; a basic cookbook and _The Traveler's Guide to Natural Herbs_.

But now, there was an addition: a leather-lined pouch, wider than Shinji's open palm. Shinji reached in and slowly undid the leather string that held the opening closed.

He gasped when a pile of beras, the gold sticks that made up the continent's currency, spilled out.

Shinji glossed over it. _There must be at least 250 beras in here!_ It was enough to feed him for half a year at restaurants…

_Or at least a month's rent until I can settle down and find a stable job_, Shinji thought, realizing the intent behind the money. Shinji clenched his hand to stop it from trembling with some unknown emotion. _Rei… I can't rest until I see you again. Can't you see?_

He retied the pouch and latched his backpack again, and looked around the street. The town was bustling with people: merchants, travelers, and soldiers alike.

None of them had blue hair or red eyes.

"Hey," a voice called behind him, "You were the one staying at the inn after wandering through the wastelands, right?"

Shinji turned to see a woman with brown neck-length hair look at him.

"Oh, yeah, it's you," she confirmed. "A Claymore wanted to talk to you as soon as you were up."

Shinji's heart leapt. "Do you know where she is?"

"She said she'd be in the forest, hunting for her next target."

Shinji dashed off, yelling his thanks over his shoulder.

* * *

Shinji plunged through bush and thistle heedlessly, not caring that the distance between him and civilization grew with each passing step. He'd gotten _this_ far alone – he could stand to do it again in the forest, especially one with abundant shade, food, and water. 

Her was deep in the forest when he saw it: the flicker of a cloak, the flash of armor. He rushed ahead and burst into a forest clearing.

The Claymore stood near the edge of a precipice, which dropped off into some lowlands behind her. Long blonde hair flowed down to her waist, blowing in the wind while sapphire eyes gazed at him unerringly. She had a small button nose and plush lips that were perfect for pouting.

She was stunning, but all Shinji could think of was, _it's not Rei…_

The Claymore's melodious voice drifted to him as she took a step forward. "Are you alone?"

Shinji found himself looking up from his wary gaze at her feet. "Huh? Oh, yes. Is there a reason why you wanted to meet out here?"

The Claymore nodded, her eyes becoming soft and limpid. "Yes, I wanted to talk away from people. It is hard, being in a civilization that does not accept my kind. Which is why I saved you."

Shinji couldn't help but feel astonished. "Wait… you saved me?" _Something feels… off about this_. He couldn't quite place his suspicions, but he found himself scrutinizing everything that the Claymore said.

She approached him. "Is it so hard to believe? I saw you helpless and unconscious, and I knew that you were a kindred spirit. I helped you so that you could join me. After all, the Claymore life is such a lonely one…" She was now close enough to reach out and stroke his cheek…

Close enough for Shinji to smell her fetid breath.

Shinji shoved her away with all his strength, stumbling back in the process. "Claymores _never_ call themselves that! And if you're a Claymore, then where's your sword!?"

The Claymore stared blankly at Shinji, and for a second he thought he had made a horrible misjudgment. But then the Claymore chuckled. "You _are_ perceptive, I will concede. I did not know Claymores did not label themselves as such. And as for the sword… I will have to obtain one on my next kill."

And with that, the Claymore changed – mottled green skin replaced pink overtones, the body frame grew bulkier… and a bony birdlike mask grew out of the face.

Then the monster disappeared.

Shinji felt a fist grab his hair from behind and something scalding hot was shoved near his cheek. A voice, smooth as a snake on velvet, said behind him. "Now, reveal yourself… 'sister.'"

As if summoned – or perhaps waiting – she stepped out, and Shinji's eyes widened.

"Rei!"

* * *

Warrior and monster assessed each other from afar, each trying to gage the strength of the other. "So, this is the 'daughter' that Mother is so frightened of. I expected you to have more girth." 

Registering a flicker of surprise in Rei's expression, the yoma continued, "Oh, She won't say it aloud, but I can hear it in Her voice whenever She speaks to me. She believes that you have the power to change what will come, which is odd because all I see in front of me is weakness. Perhaps my distain has caused Her infinite wrath; She did remove me as head of my clan and relocated me out here." The monster chuckled long and low, more to itself than to any of the others present.

Rei finally spoke. "Who are you?"

The yoma laughed, a sound as sweet as decaying flesh. "You have pursued all of us far and wide, and yet you do not recognize us when you see us." The yoma inclined its head in deference to Rei. Shinji tried not to squirm. "I am Sachiel, the first of the angel-born. Perhaps you recognize me now?"

It was then that Rei noticed the birdlike mask with the blue drop on its forehead, the rosy core – blocked from view by Shinji's body – embedded in the abdomen, and most lethally, the energy spike emitted from its palm poised near Shinji's eye. _The core allows it to manifest yoma energy into solid forms… and with Shinji involved the situation becomes more complicated._

Rei reached for her sword. "You are sought as a high-priority target by the organization," she said, "how do you come to the conclusion that a hostage will stop me from killing you?"

"It does not matter whether I die this day, little sister. What matters is that at least one of you does not live to see the end of it. I saw you carry the boy into town with such care… and then I remembered what was foretold about human and Claymore. Only if you two are together do you have the power to shape what is to come. You move forward, and I slay the boy, ending the prophecy. It is the same if you slay the boy along with me. And if you throw the your sword into the ravine… well, your death will be enough, and I will not have to take the boy's life."

A breath of silence, then Sachiel concluded, "One life must be lost today… the choice is yours as to which one."

"Do you swear that the boy will come to no harm?"

"By the breast of the Mother that nursed me, I will not touch a hair on his head."

Rei drew her sword – and tossed it tumbling down into the ravine.

The energy spike inched away from Shinji's now singed face. "It is truly regrettable that I have to kill you," Sachiel said honestly, "you would have made a fine addition to the family."

Instantly, Sachiel ran her through the chest with an energy spike. Rei could barely hear Shinji yell her name over the searing pain that flooded her.

"And thus it ends," the angel said.

But it didn't.

With all of her might, Rei gripped the angel's arm with both hands and fell backwards, flipping Sachiel around so that the angel landed on the slope first.

Despite the ground tearing at his back, Sachiel seemed impressed. "A final effort? Commendable, but a fall cannot hurt a yoma, much less an angel."

But then they slid to a stop right in front of Rei's upturned sword, just as she planned. She hewed through Sachiel's arm in a downward chop, freeing the arm from the main body. Another slice lopped off Sachiel's skullcap.

And yet the angel still rose, flesh sprouting from the open head wound. "A valiant attempt, but that won't kill me either."

_It must be the core!_

She flipped the sword into a reverse grip and stabbed downward at the spherical organ, twisting the blade to shatter the ruby sphere. Sachiel had one heartbeat to look surprised before he vanished in an explosion of white flame.

The angel gone, Rei tore out the arm protruding from her chest, gasping in pain as she threw the limb away. She hiked her yoma power level, trying to visualize the wound closing, regenerating, healing…

except it wouldn't.

Rei looked down. Veins protruded outward from the wound, throbbing in frustration, but the hole was still there.

Rei looked up. The scenery of forest trees swam before her eyes. She felt light, even as her legs crumpled beneath her and she fell forward into the dirt.

Her last conscious thought before darkness overtook her was, _why won't it…regenerate?_

* * *

Shinji stumbled down the lope, trying not to trip while choosing the fastest way possible to reach Rei. He couldn't see what happened from where he was – all he could see was a flash of light. Still, their trail was easy enough to track – broken branches and drag marks pointed the way. 

His heart seized in his chest when he saw the crater and Rei's prone form lying facedown in the ground. He made a dead run to her position, arriving in seconds flat, and flipped her over.

He stared disbelievingly at the hole in her chest. _No human could survive that,_ he thought. "Rei… you can't be dead… you can't be!" he sobbed.

"Wah, wah, wah. What a crybaby. Sheesh, it's no wonder that the state of military affairs is so bad these days. You could be a poster boy for weaklings."

Shinji whipped his head around to see a blonde in a black trenchcoat scowling down at him. Outrage collided with grief, causing him to tear up with rage. "Who the hell are you!?"

"None of your business, boy," she said, striding toward the both of them.

Fearing another yoma attack, Shinji scrambled for the claymore sword. "Stay back! Or Ill – Ill –" He lifted the sword with two hands and swung at the woman.

She caught the blade and brushed it aside, eying the boy critically. "You really are a weakling, aren't you?"

And then she slapped Rei.

Shinji charged at the woman, yelling, "What do you think you're – " he was promptly cut off when the woman lashed at him with a backhand slap, sending him sprawling backwards.

She slapped Rei again, and this time Rei's eyes fluttered open. "R-ritsuko?" she managed to say.

The woman nodded. "The one and only."

"If you are present, then that means – "

"No, you're not dead… though by the time I'm finished with you, perhaps you'd wish you were." Ritsuko's eyes scanned for injuries, but she found only the most noticeable one – the hole in the chest. "Wow, that would give anyone a bad day."

She turned to Shinji. "Leave, boy."

Shinji stood firm. "I'm not going anywhere – "

"When I say leave, I mean it for your own good." From the folds of her trenchcoat, Ritsuko produced a vicious-looking sickle, "What I am about to do…isn't meant for human eyes."

Shinji took the hint and went behind a tree, but did not leave.

"So, you fought the angel on your own, did you?" Ritsuko said, bemused. "Your orders stated strictly reconnaissance. What made you so brash, Rei? It couldn't be the boy, could it?"

"Warriors…cannot let humans… come to harm."

"And if you were killed? What then? We would lose all that valuable data that you had on the angel. How irresponsible." A pause, then, "Well, looks like the wound was cauterized. I guess these manifestations of yoma energy cause intense heat. In other words," the woman chirped, "we'll have to reopen the wound."

There was a **ting** as a blade was unsheathed, a **shick** as cloth was ripped. "Remember," the woman said gleefully, "you brought this on yourself."

Air whispered as the blade descended, and a sound like someone scything grain filled the world around Shinji.

Her scream pierced the air. For ten leagues, birds fled, the air stilled. When it died away, the world held its breath. The boy did his best to remain stalwart, his stomach heaved and wrenched as bile churned. A sound like a bucket pouring out flooded the air.

The smell followed after. Shinji held his gut and clamped his jaw shut.

Ritsuko spoke from somewhere beyond the tree, "Keep it in, will you please? Dammit...too much bile..." Her voice tinged with disgust. "Bite down on this."

A thin, coppery scent mixed with the pungent odor of vomit and other...less pleasant smells.

He purged himself on the gnarled roots of the old tree.

After what seemed to be hours later, the ripping stopped, and there was no sound save for Rei's raspy breathing. "What a mess..."

Time passed, and the shadows on the ground were longer when Shinji felt confident enough to even stand up with that smell lingering. He saw Ritsuko walk off into the thicket of trees. She returned with a full waterskin, disappearing out of his blurred view.

Splashing, weak gurgling.

"There," Ritsuko said in a coy tone, "that wasn't so bad now, was it? Well, I hope you learned your lesson. But if you want to go on another suicidal mission, all you need to do is ask."

The fading crunch of leaves indicated that Ritsuko was leaving. Shinji peered out from behind the tree trunk to see Rei lying face-up on the ground with a new tunic, her skin so pale it was translucent… Her body had been moved from a foul spot of earth where she had once lain.

Shinji purged himself again until he was curled over from dry heaving. The sight was horrific. Blood, bile, and other fluids mixed into what was now mud. The stench...oh God, the stench...

_She can't see me like this,_ Shinji thought, _I _won't _let her see me like this. Damnit, why do I have to be so weak? Weak against yoma, against the desert, weak against everything_!

And so he sat there on his haunches, back to the tree trunk, trying to recover himself. Eventually, he looked over at the still prone form of the warrior. _Look at her. And you think you have problems. You just heard it, smelled it. She had to _live _through it. And while you're here feeling sorry for yourself, she's down there alone. Just fucking go to her and see what you can do._

He rose and staggered back down to the site again, breathing through his mouth so that he could at least pretend that he was blocking out the smell. He didn't even look at the pit by her body.

Then he was there, beside her. The only thing that prevented her from looking like a corpse was the slow rise and fall of her chest. "Rei?"

Her eyes crept open. "You are still here?"

"Of course I am! You didn't think I'd leave after all that happened, did you?"

"Why do you persist?"

The question jolted Shinji into the past after he first met Rei, when the others started avoiding him saying that the Ikari family was cursed with yoma dogging their every step, that the monsters ate Daichi and Shinji's aunt and uncle and probably ate his parents too – "I have nothing left, Rei," Shinji answered simply, "and so I needed to find you."

A pause, then Shinji again: "I'm sorry. You got hurt because of me, because I was taken hostage."

"If it was not you, then it would be someone else… and perhaps you were the best pick, because of your prior experience with yoma."

"Is that a nod to divine intervention?"

"An acknowledgment to circumstance, nothing more."

A pause, the Shinji looked at Rei again. "Rei… I know this might sound like a burden to you… but, do you think I could follow you for a while? I really have no where to go." (The end of this was a bit melodramatic, so I changed it just a wee bit)

Rei eyed Shinji thoughtfully. "You said you can cook?"

Shinji nodded, remembering their conversation from some time ago.

"Very well. Follow me… until we find a place for you to belong."

Shinji smiled, ready to follow her. He'd get to be near her and that was all he wanted. Today had opened his eyes to more of the world's horrors. And that smell...that horrid, horrid smell. He'd never forget it. But for now, all he could do was put it out of mind and move on. In time, he felt he'd be exposed to it again, but now was not the time nor the place to think of it. Tomorrow, the path would be the same… but the difference was that neither of them no longer had to walk alone.

To be continued...

**Authors Note: Where to go from here? It's hard to say. One thing's for certain; this story won't die, not anytime soon.**

** Preread by SpikeyKun, Sideris, DarckRedd and AndrewJTalon, critical eyes all. And Da-Guru put in his two cents - a claymore sword weighs ten pounds; light enough for a boy, probably, but too heavy for any human boy to wield with one hand.  
**


End file.
